Winter Campout Trip - January 20-21

Twenty six bold Devon 50 scouts and seven adult leaders braved the cold to make the January winter camp at Camp John Ware. Green bar set up a schedule of responsibilities, classes, meals, and free time right away. The classes provided many opportunities for individual scouts to show their skills and earn merit badge requirements.

Carl Maloney met first with those scouts not yet First class and gave them an outline of steps and goal setting to help them earn first class within their first year. His main message was to have scouts set goals and share those goals with parents, leaders and adult leaders.

Next Dave Haerland assembled the entire troop for the coldest first-aid class in recent history. Dave as well as the other patrol members taught first-aid subjects for an hour session, in preparation for the up coming, Council Wide, first-aid meet.

Sean McConnell taught all the basic eight knots to the entire troop. After Sean's intro. to knots, he gave those scouts who thought they already knew the knots the opportunity to be excused from the rest of his course by testing Mr. Maloney. "Many felt called, but few were chosen". Steve Camman and Carl Maloney tied for knowing all the knots.

Brian Copeland and Dan Norton demoed lashings to all the Scouts in Lawrence Hall. The Hall was the best place to hang out. Larry Norton was either kind enough or desperate enough to maintain a constant wood stove fire.

Jerry Cavanaugh ran K-P during free-time. His motto was "it can't be too hot in the kitchen." (Gas stoves make a more beautiful light in five degree weather.)

Free-time took on a whole new meaning with the rescue mission taken on by most of the Scouts. In exploring, they found the Octoraro had flooded about 20 feet over its banks and left stranded many 6 lb. carp in large puddles near the bridge. Scouts broke ice, waded in ice water prodded with sticks, grabbed with gloved hands and freed at least 19 good size fish. Throwing them in the river, the swore even the most ice-cubed fish came back to life and swam away.

After spaghetti dinner, Ollie Uberti led an emergency winter survival class and led an ingenious night time game that he had constructed with the help of other staff members. Using international rescue signs patrols struck out to find and rescue 5 downed American pilots in Russian territory.

We wrapped up the day with a Campfire (stove fire) in Lawrence Hall. We had invited over the troop from Haverford to share in our game and campfire. Trevor Pye, Dave Haerland, and Dan Spangler put together the 1 1/2 hour campfire and emceed the event for their Communication Merit Badge requirement.

Lights out at 11, and 6 dads braved the bitter cold and slept in Adirondacks or tents to earn or re-earn their "blue beads." Snoring competition again went unjudged.

Sunday morning pancakes warmed the patrols up for the know tying competition of 32 knots in rapid succession. Beaver took first, Hawk took 2nd and Eagle took 3rd.

All scouts were checked out for warm cars home by 10:30.